"My knees are fine…I don’t need knee pads"…
So, let’s face it, knee pads aren’t the most obvious piece of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)!
In many cases they are simply treated as a cure to dealing with existing knee pain. One of the reoccurring phrases we have heard most since the launch of Recoil Knee Pads is:
"Great idea, but I don’t need knee pads. My knees are fine…"
It’s a phrase we’ve become accustomed to. However, at the opposite end of the scale of, we have also become accustomed to this phrase:
‘Great idea! My knees are shot!’, to the more direct response of :
"Great idea! My knee are f****d!".
Desmond who we spoke to had this advice to share:
I'm a Decorator I had to have a knee replacement 6 months ago, I still can’t work properly and it’s going to be another 6 months at least. I was one of the fittest 60 year olds you will ever meet 6 months ago. Now, no long walks ,no footy, no kneeling, it has been the most unbelievably painful experience of my life, the amount of everyday tasks I am now unable to carry out is frightening! Do yourselves a favour get a decent set of pads & use the feckin things. If i can persuade 1 × 16 year old apprentice to wear proper knee pads from day one & avoid my hell then I drop down 6 ft a happy Decorator."- Desmond Cass
These reactions have got us asking our customers if they know why there can be a reluctance to wear adequate PPE at a young age. We’ve discussed this a lot with our existing older customer base. What we are told is that when you’re a young guy or girl starting out and embarking on your chosen profession, you think to yourself ‘I’m fit and healthy, my body is fine, I’ll be ok!’.
'...suddenly you feel that sharp twinge in your back; or you get up out your chair and you hear a knee joint crack, but you shrug it off...'
Life’s good at the start. You’re doing something you enjoy, you’re earning a decent living, and your personal life is reaping the benefits of a decent income and a decent amount of downtime to enjoy life. On the occasional night you’ll go home and sit down at the TV and suddenly feel that sharp twinge in your back; or you get up out your chair and hear a knee joint crack, but you shrug it off as just a twinge from a hard day’s work – you’re young and healthy, you don’t need to worry about these things.’
'...you carry on without much thought to the possible long term damage...'
As time goes on, you start to question why health and safety is taken so seriously. Is it really better lifting from your knees? That doesn't feel natural. Why do you have to wear earplugs when the noise isn’t even that loud? Why do you need to wear knee pads when your knees aren’t even that sore? It’s all about getting the job done and doing the best job you can. You feel ok, so you carry on without much thought to the possible long term damage and stresses you may be putting on your body.
Unfortunately, many of us don’t realise the effects a job is having on our health…and unfortunately by the time we make the decision to start taking care of ourselves it’s already too late…
"Great product. Wish I had these years ago. Maybe I wouldn't need a knee replacement. Have helped greatly pre operation. I expect they will help greatly after the operation too."
-Geoff Cooper
From customers we have spoken to, if you don’t wear knee pads, chances are your knees will feel the impact as young as 30! By which point when you decide to invest in a decent pair of pads, it’s too late as unfortunately the damage has been done!
"I am a recently retired spark, my knees are shot but I still require to kneel down in the home, garden and numerous other places (once a sparks/diy always in demand by family and friends) My new knee protection has given my knees new life."
-Trevor Garbett
Many of our older customers are constantly reiterating the message to us that they wish they’d worn knee pads when they were younger. For many the reason they haven’t has simply been the reason they haven’t felt a need when younger as they’re bodies were ok. However, for some it has also been the annoyance of inadequately fitting PPE or the often stigma that comes with wearing PPE. Whatever the reasoning, it is our responsibility to make sure we offer proper education to help with driving a change in attitude towards looking after our bodies. If your work involves kneeling, don’t let any reasoning put you off wearing adequate PPE. Keep your body fit and healthy and active for years to come by starting with investing in a decent PPE kit.
"As someone who has a knee problem from doing gardening work when I was younger without using proper knee pads I thought it was worth purchasing this product. When cheap knee pads are used when doing a job which entails much kneeling down and standing up it's the constant jarring that damages knees. When wearing these your knees simply don't jar and they are so comfortable. I wish they had been made thirty years ago!"
So, if you'd like to get serious about protecting your knees, take a look at Recoil Kneepads today and see how proper knee protection can benefit your life.
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